country dark

somehow, one lilting indian summer day at a time, it's become october.  clear mornings and even colder nights, full moon sightings and...stars.  i mark months, not so much by the calendar, but by the temperature, light, and tinge of autum's paintbrush outside; nuances of consistent change.  because the power went out in the middle of the night, i went, flashlight in hand, back and forth between circuit breakers only to discover it was a local downed power pole.  but because i was outside, i noticed what i call "country dark".  country dark is not the same as city dark.  it's darker here anyway, but with no electricity from us or any of the neighbors, the stars made a flashier appearance and i could both smell and feel that when day dawned i would need to dig my potatoes and bring tender perennials indoors.  country dark is ink-like and still.  without even the hum of household appliances, the silence moved me.  i joined it, becoming still myself, holding even my breath to notice nature's pulse.  and carried it back inside.